St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-11-12
A GHOST STORY.
~ LIEUTENANT MURRAY.
From the New York Weekly!

Some years ago. while stationed
in New Orleans. business called me
a short distance inland. u the little
town Of Covington. It was rather
a wild and isolated place at that
time. to reach which crossed Lake
Poutcllartrain in u little steamboat
and sailed up the swift bat narrow
river known rs the Tchefnncta. The
vegetation vas u marvel Of rank
moss, and the arr that mild autumn
day was hosvy with fragrant odors.
The overhanyiny branches Of the
,Dagnoliss often came in contact
with the smoke stack OF our little
steamer, the Un,iiue.
Landing ut Covimyton, / sought
the only inn the place Gould boast.
a broad. iow-lying building. sur
rounded by wile verani". aud lo-
Gated on the edge Of dense plan
tstion of wood. II WAS a lonely
spot. and at that time very spsrsely
inhabited. Az / came up to she
inn with my va!iss in hand. the
landlord sat smoking by the en-.
trance, and close by hia side large
Newfoundland dog crouched. in u
fine picturesque attitude. with hi,
intelligent eyes bent upon me.
His master rose and welcoms1
me III broken English. ut once be-
trnying his German origin. He
was quite advanced in years, and
save the dog and his old wife. sseu-
ed to be entirely alone in the house
It was late in the afternoon when
arrived. aud after n very plain meal
Ut bacon aud eggs. l sat down with
the old man to smoke cigar on
the onter porch Of the house. A.
ter few inquiries rs to where
should find the person whom ]
sought, "a certain Judge Cum.
mings.) our conversation naturally
irifted onto the locality and its as
sociaii0Gs
The old Dntchman scarcely La
moved his pipe from his mouth al
al. but still ratified on, giving rnt
coherent answers to sli my inqni
ries.
l found that the neigaborhood
did not Mt that time bear a yer,
good name. The house We were il
bad been empty for some years nm
til This man had come here tc set.
lie. five ysais since. aud he bat
been able to hire it for u mere song
with the agreement OF making his
own repairs. This he had done
and the old house had been rem
tered comparatively comfortable
hy the help Of carpenter and ma
son. though it had been 30 long ne
elected.
I did not like to he too inqnisit
i've, or ] should have asked thu
Dutchman how he managed to 90
! living by keeping M inn ut sucl
\ lonely spot. He told me ofsn or
ysn:zatiun called tue Free Riders
sort o. ba.,,iitti. who bad thei'
headquarters not far away, com
posed Of desperate m-n. mostl..
from np the Mississippi River ant
the Northwest.
He had some startling stories Il
{. 4 me If The murders and robber
les which had occurred III the Vi.
ciuitv. before an.i since his settle.
nent there. all of which were cal
cnlated to make mo resolve that
v ould sleep that night with my pis
tolls under my pillow. Finally
having finished a couple Ut IL"
vanas, I asked to be show" to m,
room. ms bad some papers 20 loos
over ard arrange in readiness FOL
my next mornings interview will
the probate Judge OF the parish.
The landlord complied with m!
request and led the way. carrying /,
couple Of vile-smelling tailow can
dies. I soon found myself iu I
large, low-stnl,ied room, in an an
gle Of the tumble-tlowE building
4 fire had been lighted in the vas
chimn, y-place. the old mau re
marking that the room was seldom
used and might be n little damp
I was pleased ut the chssrfnl glow
Of the lire, and SO was the landlord
dog, who cnrlsd down before it al,
seemed resolved to keep me com
pany.
We had become warm friends
considering our short acquaintance
and l had shared portion Of N,
supper with him, SD we wsrs .'
good terms. l noticed that the ol.
man called him Buff. but for wha
reason I could not understand
since he was quite black.
l was left with Buff to myself
and. after looking about the. 60
out my papers and placed them ~
a table. where / assorted them. add
such penciled notes ms would iacili
tate my purposes on the morrow
then placed the papers in m.
valise, took out my revolver an,
placed it under tie pillow Of tn
bed. lighted cigar and leane,
back in the hinge oli-fashi0ne,
arn- chair before the fire.
The dog came. and. sitting o'
his launches by my side. laid hi
big jaws gently upcu my knee. as
to invite attention. talked pleas
antly to him, and he responded b,
wagging his bnsl,y tail snd bring
ing it down every now and theI
with thnd upon the floor. TIL
fire still glowed brightly. and H.
choice tabaccO lnlled aud sooths,